Young doctor moonlighting as a TV star while claiming sick pay is struck off

A YOUNG doctor who moonlighted as a globe-trotting television commentator while claiming sick pay has been struck off.

Ed Holloway moonlighting at an event in Poland where he said medicine ‘allowed me time’ [NC]

Dr Ed Holloway chose the glamour of some of the world's most prestigious equestrian events over routine work at a general hospital.

The dashing medic would "become ill" at weekends so he could act as an TV analyst at show jumping and eventing competitions.

He once returned to Scunthorpe General Hospital with a sun tan - despite the miserable British weather at the time.

Holloway had claimed to be off sick, a medical tribunal was told.

But he admitted he had been in America after a colleague recognised his voice on the Horse and Country channel broadcast on Sky.

He was later sacked from his post in the urology department of the general hospital following in investigation by the Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust.

The panel determined that your behaviour, repeated dishonesty, lack of insight and lack of remediation are fundamentally incompatible with your continuing to practise medicine

Carrie Ryan-Palmer

Inquiries revealed he had been commentating on equestrian events while on sick leave between September and November 2012.

Venues included Plantation Field in Philadelphia, USA, and Boekolo in the Netherlands.

He also missed work while on a flight from California, the tribunal in Manchester was told.

In July last year, Holloway admitted one count of fraud at Scunthorpe Magistrates Court and was fined £700.

The University of Leicester graduate was also ordered to hand back the overpayment of his salary totalling £708.35.

Holloway was suspended as a doctor in June last year while the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service considered his case.

The MPTS has now branded him "dishonest" and concluded his absences from work showed a "cavalier attitude" to his patients.

Striking him from the medical register, MPTS panel chair Carrie Ryan-Palmer told him his repeated dishonesty was "fundamentally incompatible" with working as a doctor.

She said in a in a written judgement: "Your record of ensuring that you left the hospital to commentate, regardless of whether you were scheduled to work, in combination with your blatant disregard of the difficulties which you were causing your Trust, your colleagues and your patients illustrated a deep seated desire to place your own interests above those of your patients and demonstrated a cavalier attitude to patient safety.

"The panel determined that your behaviour, repeated dishonesty, lack of insight and lack of remediation are fundamentally incompatible with your continuing to practise medicine."

Mrs Ryan-Palmer added: "The panel is not satisfied that a further period of suspension would resolve these concerns, protect the public interest and maintain and uphold proper standards of conduct and behaviour.

"It has determined, therefore, that it would not be sufficient nor proportionate to suspend your registration given the particular circumstances of this case.

"Accordingly, the panel has determined to direct that your name be erased from the medical register."

In a light-hearted television interview at the Strzegom Horse Trials in Poland in 2012, Holloway told of his love of competing as an eventer as well as commentating on top competitions.

He said: "I love commentary.

"Medicine was fun.

"It allowed me time..."

A woman presenter cut in: "Medicine was fun?"

Holloway jokily replied: "Not for the patients."

Holloway has commentated at a number of the world's major three-day equestrian events including the World Equestrian Games, European Eventing Championships and Barbary Castle International.